Ryan in Des Moines, Iowa has been wearing a pair of Old Navy Built-In-Flex Jeans since the summer of 2016 and the wear on them reminds us that you don’t need to spend triple digits in order to get triple-digit fades.

Clearly worn on the daily, Ryan has coaxed out some great hues, from the worn-in lap with shadowy whiskers to the weathered, bright thighs. The backside spotlights the grainy texture of the denim, broken up by shimmering subtle honeycombs. Everything is clearly naturally worn in with a look that isn’t over the top. It’s refreshing – especially for mall shop jeans.

In addition to constant wear, these jeans have gone through about 10-15 washes which have really helped bring them to life. And although they’ve needed 3 crotch repairs over the years and are in semi-retirement, few have gone farther with less to work with than Ryan and that is a real accomplishment.